Methods and apparatus for modifying or killing cells by manipulating the cell membrane charging time
AssigneeNorth Carolina State University
InventorsMichael Benjamin Sano, Christopher Fesmire, Ross A. Petrella
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of treatment includes modifying and/or killing cells by changing the cell membrane charging time to make the cells more susceptible to the influence of electric fields. The method may further include inserting one or more electrodes into tissue, acquiring a temperature of the tissue, delivering electrical energy to the tissue by electrical pulses, determining a rate of energy delivery of the electrical energy such that the temperature rises above a first critical temperature but remains below a second critical temperature, and delivering the electrical energy until a specific dose is achieved.
Claims20
A method of treatment comprising modifying and/or killing a cell by changing a cell membrane charging time to make the cell more susceptible to an influence of an electric field,
- wherein changing the cell membrane charging time comprises:
- inserting one or more electrodes into or adjacent to tissue surrounding the cell;
- acquiring a temperature of the tissue;
- delivering, via the one or more electrodes, electrical energy to the tissue by a plurality of electrical pulses;
- and
- increasing the temperature of the tissue using the electrical energy delivered to the tissue, to thereby change the cell membrane charging time,
- wherein increasing the temperature of the tissue comprises dynamically controlling a rate of energy delivery of the electrical energy such that the temperature of the tissue rises above a first critical temperature and remains below a second critical temperature.
An apparatus for preventing, mitigating, and/or reducing tissue damage during a pulsed electric field therapy comprising a plurality of electrical pulses, the apparatus comprising circuitry configured to modify and/or kill a cell by changing a cell membrane charging time to make the cell more susceptible to an influence of an electric field,
- wherein the apparatus comprises:
- one or more electrodes configured to deliver electrical energy, via the electrical pulses, to tissue surrounding the cell;
- and
- one or more temperature sensors configured to acquire a temperature of the tissue,
- wherein the apparatus is configured to increase the temperature of the tissue using the electrical energy delivered to the tissue, to thereby change the cell membrane charging time, and
- wherein the apparatus is configured to dynamically control a rate of energy delivery of the electrical energy such that the temperature of the tissue rises above a first critical temperature and remains below a second critical temperature.
A method of treatment comprising modifying and/or killing a cell by changing a cell membrane charging time to make the cell more susceptible to an influence of an electric field,
- wherein changing the cell membrane charging time comprises:
- inserting one or more electrodes into or adjacent to tissue surrounding the cell;
- delivering, via the one or more electrodes, electrical energy to the tissue by a plurality of electrical pulses;
- and
- increasing a temperature of the tissue using the electrical energy delivered to the tissue, to thereby change the cell membrane charging time,
- wherein a width of at least one of the electrical pulses is less than or equal to the cell membrane charging time.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.